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Compare the competition for a keyword on the App Store or Google Play. The 0–100 score summarizes the apps in the returned top results.
What is keyword difficulty?
Keyword difficulty is a 0–100 comparison score based on competitor signals in App Store or Google Play search results. It's computed from up to the first 10 apps returned for that search: their rating or review counts, how highly they're rated, how many carry the keyword in their title, and how many distinct publishers share those spots. Higher scores reflect stronger inputs under this model.
The four bands help you compare candidate keywords. They describe the returned search results, not your app’s chance of success. Check whether a phrase fits your app before adding it to your listing.
| Score | Band | What it means for your app |
|---|---|---|
| 0–29 | Easy | The top results show lower competition in this snapshot. If the phrase accurately describes your app, compare its relevance and popularity with your other keyword options. |
| 30–59 | Moderate | The top results show moderate competition. Compare the leading apps with yours and check whether this phrase matches what your users are looking for. |
| 60–79 | Competitive | The top apps in this result have strong competitor signals. Compare a more specific version of this phrase before deciding how much listing space to give it. |
| 80–100 | Very hard | The top apps in this result have high competitor scores. Try a more specific phrase that fits your app. This score describes the search results; it does not predict your app’s rank. |
How the difficulty score works
We normally reuse saved results for up to 72 hours. If the store cannot return an update, we may show an older result with a notice. Check the retrieved or saved date beside your score before comparing results.
Rating/review count — 40%
Rating counts on the App Store and review counts on Google Play, for up to the first 10 returned apps. Higher counts increase this part of the score.
Rating quality — 20%
The average star rating of the top apps. Higher ratings increase this part of the score.
Title match — 20%
The share of top apps whose titles contain the keyword phrase.
Publisher diversity — 20%
The share of distinct developers among the top apps. More distinct publishers increases this part of the current model.
Get keyword picks worth comparing
Practical ways to compare relevant keywords using store results. No spam.
Launching an app? Track 5 keywords free, forever — daily ranks, no card, no subscription.
Benchmarks: what 604 recorded difficulty checks showed
This checker's methodology isn't a black box — we published the full model and the data. In our study of 604 scored keyword checks (580 distinct keywords, 9 countries, February–August 2026), the average iOS keyword scored 61.7/100 against 44.1/100 on Google Play. These samples used different keywords. The 17.6-point gap describes their recorded scores; it does not show how much more competitive one store is or predict your app's ranking. Compare relevant keywords within the same store and country.
Comparing Android scores
- Difficulty uses up to the first 10 returned apps. A larger result set does not change difficulty if those first 10 inputs stay the same. Results beyond the retrieved list are unknown.
- Popularity uses different signals per platform — install volumes on Google Play, rating counts on the App Store. Compare Android keywords against other Android keywords, never against iOS scores.
- We request extra details for the first five Android results. Missing inputs can affect the score. The bands and weights have not been validated as predictions of ranking success.
Free keyword difficulty checker vs paid ASO tools
Use the free checker to compare a phrase, or save keywords in AppDrift to follow their ranks over time. When comparing other tools, check their data sources, refresh schedule and plan limits.
| Feature | This checker | AppDrift tracking | Typical paid suite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no sign-up | Free: 5 keywords; paid from $9.99/mo | Varies by provider |
| Difficulty score | 0–100, first 10 returned apps | Same scorer, every tracked keyword | Check provider methodology |
| Data freshness | 72-hour cache; older fallback labeled | Daily rank checks; difficulty may be cached | Check provider refresh schedule |
| Countries | 10 | Supported tracking storefronts | Varies by plan |
| Rank history & alerts | — | Daily ranks, drop alerts | Check provider plan |
| Published methodology + dataset | Yes — 604-check study | Yes — same model | Check provider documentation |
Weighing full suites against each other? We priced and compared them honestly in the best ASO tools guide.
Keyword difficulty FAQ
What is keyword difficulty in ASO?
Keyword difficulty is a 0-100 comparison score based on the apps returned for a keyword on the App Store or Google Play. It uses rating or review counts, average star ratings, title matches and publisher diversity. The bands summarize the available inputs; they do not predict whether a particular app will rank.
How is this keyword difficulty score calculated?
The score analyzes up to the first 10 returned apps across four weighted factors: rating counts on the App Store or review counts on Google Play (40%), average star rating (20%), keyword matches in titles (20%) and publisher diversity (20%). It uses the same scorer as AppDrift's keyword tracker. Scores can be cached and are separate from daily rank observations.
What is a good keyword difficulty to target?
Compare relevant phrases within the same store and country. Lower scores indicate weaker measured competition in the returned results, but do not establish demand or guarantee an easy ranking win. Consider your app, audience and observed results before changing metadata.
How accurate is this keyword difficulty checker?
The checker summarizes returned store results for the chosen keyword and country. Incomplete public signals and retrieval timing affect the score. The published 604-check study describes observed scores; it does not validate ranking probabilities. Compare relevant phrases within the same store and country, and review the result's date.
What's the difference between keyword difficulty and popularity?
Difficulty summarizes competitor signals in the returned results. The displayed popularity score uses App Store rating counts or Google Play install signals, plus the number of returned results. It is not an official search-volume measurement or proof of demand for that exact phrase.
Is keyword difficulty different on the App Store vs Google Play?
Yes. The stores return different apps and inputs, so a phrase can receive different scores. In our 604-check study, the iOS sample averaged 61.7/100 and the Google Play sample averaged 44.1/100. These were different keyword samples; the 17.6-point difference does not establish how much more competitive one store is. Compare relevant phrases within the platform and country you are targeting.
Why do Android keywords show lower difficulty scores?
The study used different keyword samples, and the stores provide different competitor inputs. We have not isolated the cause of the average gap. The current difficulty formula uses only the first 10 returned apps: returning 30 rather than 200 results does not change difficulty if those first 10 inputs stay the same.
Does every check retrieve new store results?
No. We normally reuse saved results for up to 72 hours. When the store cannot return an update, an older saved result may appear with a notice. The result shows when it was retrieved or saved; a saved date is the cache-write time, not an exact historical retrieval time. If no usable timestamp exists, the date is shown as unavailable.
Is this keyword difficulty checker really free?
Yes — free, no sign-up required, using results from the store and country you select. Results may be cached; check the date beside the score. AppDrift Free also includes one app and five tracked keywords with daily rank updates; paid plans provide more capacity from $9.99/month.
Using keyword difficulty in your ASO strategy
Store metadata fields have separate length limits; their combined allowance is not a guarantee that every character will be indexed. Use the competition score alongside relevance, observed rankings and your app’s results when choosing a phrase. Start with the app store keyword research guide.
Start with phrases that describe your app and its audience's task. Competitor titles and rating or review counts can help compare those phrases, but do not establish search demand. Our guide to finding competitor keywords shows how to build a candidate list worth scoring. For real searches to score, collect store autocomplete with the keyword suggestion tool, and test the phrases a rival already ranks for with the competitor keyword finder. The iOS keywords field guide explains how to place selected phrases in your metadata.
After comparing candidate keywords, check your observed position with the free app store rank checker, and check whether your selected phrases fit the field with the keyword space calculator . For the full workflow from candidate list to committed metadata, follow the step-by-step guide on how to check keyword difficulty for free.
This checker uses the same scorer as AppDrift's keyword tracking, which adds daily rank history and alerts. Difficulty scores remain separate snapshots; a daily rank check does not necessarily refresh the difficulty score.